(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a convertible seating reclining chair. The chair comprises the following conventional elements. A back frame has an upper end, a lower end, and a back frame seating surface. A seat frame has a front end, a rear end, and a seat frame seating surface. A left support arm has a front ground support surface, a rear ground support surface, and a left armrest support surface. A right support arm has a front ground support surface, a rear ground support surface, and a right armrest support surface. The chair also has a reclining mechanism connected laterally between the left support arm and the right support arm, and connected to the back frame and to the seat frame. The reclining mechanism has a stationary base frame, a back movement means, and a seat movement means. The back movement means is connected to the base frame and is dimensioned and configured for moving the back frame from an upright seating position to a fully horizontal or recumbent position. The seat movement means also is connected to the base frame, and is dimensioned and configured for moving the seat frame, from the upright seating position to the fully horizontal or recumbent position, the seat frame seating surface being downwardly tilting from the front end to the back end while in the seating position. The seat movement means and the back movement means are dimensioned and configured to move, respectively, the seat frame and the back frame from their respective positions in the chair's upright seating position to their respective positions in the chair's fully horizontal, recumbent position. Such movement of the back frame and the seat frame occurs with the back frame seating surface at the lower end of the back frame being located substantially adjacent to the seat frame seating surface at the rear end of the seat frame.
(2) Description of the Related Art, Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 & 1.98
In providing a chair that can convert to a sleeping surface, the prior art is well illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 7,475,944 to Griepentrog et alia.
In order to convert a chair from a seating position to a sleeping position, the Griepentrog reclining mechanism (as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 of the '944 patent) requires that the seating surface (16 in '944) extend markedly beyond the horizontal plane of the back surface (18 in '944) while in the seating position. The reclining mechanism also has a seat rotation member (65 and 66 in '944) that extends downward from the back surface pivot point (70 in '944). The seating surface support member (28 in '944) is connected to the seat rotation member such that rotation of the back downwardly to a horizontal position simultaneously raises the rear or back portion seating surface support member to a horizontal position, pivoting the seating surface support member on the front edge of that member.
In order to achieve a fully recumbent, horizontal position, the prior art creates a substantial hole (or void) in the seating cushion. (See 104 and 16 in FIG. 2 of '944). Moreover, in order to maintain back cushion to seat cushion contact during rotation, not only must the seat cushion be substantially longer than the surface required by the seating position and have the void, it must also have a back cushion having an expanding support material located at the bottom or lower end of the cushion. In essence, the cushion to cushion contact relies upon an elastomeric quality to the lower end of the back cushion, and not the travel paths of the cushions as they respectively pivot. Finally, the prior art requires that the chair occupant shift their position on the seating surface during rotation in order to maintain full lumbar support during rotation.